


A Younger Man

by animenutcase



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-20 14:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8251883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animenutcase/pseuds/animenutcase
Summary: Adean heard snickers when they walked together, but she couldn't bring herself to care.The thought of being with her was like a dream to Azel, but he found that the reality was much sweeter.





	

Adean of Jungby was not having a good week.

First, she had arrived home to learn that her father had gone off to Isaach with Duke Vylon of Chalphy and Prince Kurth. The very next day, Jungby was seized by bandits from Verdane, her most loyal knight was heavily wounded, and she herself was abducted by Verdane's crown prince and taken back to Verdane. After that, Prince Gandolf had locked her in a dungeon deep within the country, with only a young thief named Dew for company. Miraculously, Prince Gandolf's younger brother, Jamke, sympathized with her and set her free. He had been more reluctant to release Dew, only relenting in the face of Adean's pleas and Dew's insistence that he intended to stop stealing.

Unfortunately, it hadn't taken Gandolf long to notice her absence and he'd sent some of his men after them. Not only that, but there was fighting going on up ahead them. Hiding in the trees, Adean noticed that three bandits were ganging up on a single man. Surprisingly, however, the man seemed to be handling himself just fine. He held a fire tome in his hand and brought two of the bandits down in seconds. The third, however, didn't go down so easily and hit the man with his axe. Already wounded, the man fell and Adean soon realized that she recognized him.

"Is that... Azel?"  
\--------------------------------------  
Azel's world was spinning as he fell.

He'd managed to take two of the bandits down despite being outnumbered, but they'd still gotten a few hits in on him. One of them was still standing, and was likely to kill him in a matter of seconds. Before he felt the blade of an axe one last time, however, he heard the bandit grunt and fall over. Had he succumbed to his wounds? Azel supposed it didn't matter, since he wasn't going to live much longer himself. He could barely move.

"Azel!"

Ah... Adean's voice. It was a shame that he wouldn't be able to see her one last time, but being able to hear her voice as he went wasn't so bad. With any luck, Sigurd would get her out of Verdane safely. Azel just hoped that his brother wouldn't be upset that he was going before him. Come to think of it, he also needed to apologize to Lex for dragging him along and getting himself killed.

"Azel, please hold on!"

Oh, he could see her face, too. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, but simply seeing her made the pain seem to lessen slightly. It was almost strange.

He felt himself lifted up and he couldn't see Adean's face anymore, but Azel was content.  
\--------------------------------------  
Adean slowly wrapped Azel's arms around her shoulders and stood up. She'd been able to heal him enough that he wasn't going to die in the next few minutes, but he still needed almost immediate medical attention. She couldn't do it out in the open where there were still bandits lurking about, however, so she gently carried Azel to some bushes where she could hide long enough to heal him. Dew was being unusually quiet and kept staring at the blood on his sword.

Just as Adean was preparing to continue healing Azel, however, she heard footsteps nearby and tensed up. Someone was coming their way.

She whispered for Dew to keep watch over Azel and slowly crept behind a tree. Listening closer, she realized that the footsteps she'd been hearing belonged to a horse. Clenching her stave as tightly as she could, she rushed out from behind the tree and swung it as hard as she could. The person on the horse lifted their axe and caught her stave with it. But that wouldn't stop her. Just as she was about to hit them again, another person called out,

"Adean!?"

Against her better judgement, Adean allowed herself to take her eye off of her opponent and turned her head toward the person who called her name. Her eyes widened as she gazed at a familiar patch of blue hair. The man was none other than her childhood friend, Sigurd of Chalpy. Behind him, she could see Sigurd's sister, Ethlyn, climbing off of her horse and rushing toward her to give her a hug.

"We saw someone carrying Azel over this way." Adean's opponent spoke, and she realized that the man was Lex of Dozel. "Was it you?"

Adean nodded, and asked if there were any remaining bandits. Sigurd said that he didn't think there were, and Adean quickly rushed back to where she'd left Azel and Dew to continue Azel's treatment. The others soon followed.

"I apologize for attacking you, Sir Lex." She apologized as Lex and Sigurd carried the still-unconscious Azel into the tent that they'd set up for the night. "I wanted to make sure that I could heal Azel without any... unpleasant surprises."  
"Can't say I blame you." Lex gave a small chuckle before falling silent. "Is he gonna be okay?"  
"He's not in danger of dying this moment, but he's not out of the woods just yet." Adean said grimly. "I don't intend to let him die, however. I'll be keeping watch over him tonight."  
"Thanks, Lady Adean." Lex smiled at her as he and Sigurd lay Azel onto a makeshift cot. "I'll leave him to you."  
\--------------------------------------  
It was late in the night that Azel began to stir. He blinked sleepily, realizing that he was staring at the ceiling of a tent. Did that mean he wasn't dead?

"Are you awake, Azel?" A soft voice asked.

He tilted his head to see Adean staring at him. He blinked for a moment.

"Lady... Lady Adean?" He was able to say. "Was I captured or..."  
"No, we're with Sigurd and the others." Adean shook her head. "Prince Jamke released me, and I was fleeing when my companion and I came upon you being attacked."

Azel slowly nodded to show he understood. Then it hadn't been a dying dream. He really had seen her.

"But what could you possibly have been doing in Verdane, Azel?" Adean asked. "Did Lord Arvis give you permission to be here? Besides, you _hate_ fighting, so why would you come all the way here?"

Azel felt his face flush despite his injuries, and looked away before answering that he hadn't gotten permission, and his brother was probably furious, but when he'd heard she was in trouble, he couldn't concentrate until he knew she was safe. He didn't see how she reacted, but he did hear her reply.

"I've troubled a lot of different people, it seems." She sounded embarrassed. "Even Ethlyn came all the way from Leonster with her husband."  
"It's not your fault." Azel turned back to look at her. "And I don't regret coming here. Even if I had died, I wouldn't regret it."

At this, Adean frowned.

"Please don't ever talk like that again." She said sternly. "You only have one life and you mustn't throw it away so easily. What would your brother say if he learned that you were dead? What would Sigurd and I tell him?"

Azel looked away again, this time feeling somewhat ashamed. Adean gently took his hand into hers and told him to take care of his own life. He slowly nodded again.

"Please get some more rest." Adean smiled warmly at him, and Azel felt his heart race. "I'll be keeping watch over you throughout the night."

The thought of Adean watching him didn't really make him want to sleep, but Azel soon felt himself drift off nonetheless.  
\--------------------------------------  
The following morning, Adean examined Dew's wounds from the previous day and changed the bandages. As thanks, Dew gave her a Warp Staff that was undoubtedly stolen, but Adean just sighed and accepted it without complaint. Stealing was wrong, but she couldn't deny that a Warp Staff would be useful in the coming battles.

"See ya later, Miss Adean!" Dew waved as he left.

At least he seemed to be more cheerful, Adean decided. He'd been oddly quiet after finishing off the bandit attacking Azel. Ethlyn had come to check on her and help with treating any other injuries, and she seemed to be staring at Adean strangely.

"I see. So that's your type." She said with a mischievous grin that Adean knew meant trouble.  
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, Ethlyn." Adean resisted the urge to frown and gave her a puzzled look. "What do mean by "my type", exactly?"  
"Younger men."

For a few seconds, Adean stood there, processing Ethlyn's words. When she finally responded, she forgot where she was.

" _WHAT_!?" She shrieked, only to regret it as Azel shot up on his cot.

"Are we under attack!?" He exclaimed, wincing as he tried to look around.  
"N-No, Azel!" Adean shook her head. "Please lie down. I've healed you up as much as I can for now, but your wounds could still open up."

Sigurd rushed into the tent, but Ethlyn simply pushed her brother out, giving Adean a smirk as she did. Adean scowled back. She made it sound like Azel was a child, but there was only a three year difference between them. It wouldn't be _that_ strange if they were to marry.

Adean quickly shook that thought from her mind as she urged Azel to get more rest before leaving to follow Ethlyn.

"I'm just saying, you and my brother were so close when you were little, I'm surprised that you two never tied the knot." Ethlyn shrugged.  
"Well, if I'm being honest, Ethlyn, I'm not entirely sure Sigurd is, ah... _interested_ in women." Adean sighed, her earlier anger already beginning to fade.

Ethlyn laughed, but her laughter soon faded.

"It's just... I know that you wanted to become a knight when you were little, Adean. Then, when everyone kept saying your sister was dead, you gave that up so you could search for her more easily." She explained. "And I know that it gets lonely traveling all over, with just paid guards for company. I know you won't give up until you find Briggid, but... maybe you could find someone to travel with you as a companion? It doesn't even have to be a husband, just... I just worry about you sometimes. I know my brother does, too."  
"Goodness, and here I thought my mother was long dead." Adean sighed again. "Of course, I shouldn't be surprised. You've already fussed over the rest of us like a mother hen for years."  
"You've seen my father and brother, yes?" Ethlyn laughed. "I didn't have a choice."

The two fell silent before Ethlyn spoke again.

"But in all seriousness, what do you think of Azel?" She asked, eyes beginning to sparkle with curiosity. "I overheard Sir Lex teasing him and he seems to be rather fond of you."  
"Azel is..." Adean paused, choosing her next words carefully. "A very kind person. I admire that, particularly since House Velthomer has been going through turmoil in the past several years. He's also very courageous, since he chose to come to Verdane in spite of both the risk to his life and the possibility of punishment by Lord Arvis when he returns home."

Ethlyn seemed delighted by Adean's answer, but Adean quickly warned her not to try to play matchmaker.

"I make no promises." Ethlyn said with her trademark grin.  
\--------------------------------------  
After another day of resting, Sigurd's group set off toward Marpha. Azel was toward the middle of the group, and Adean was keeping an eye on him to make sure he was fully recovered, but she kept glancing toward the castle ahead of them.

"Are you alright, Lady Adean?" He asked nervously. "You keep looking at Marpha."

Adean hesitated slightly, and Azel was sure he understood why.

"You're worried about confronting Prince Gandolf, aren't you?"

Adean stared at him for a moment before nodding.

"For a number of different reasons." She replied. "To be clear, it's not that I'm afraid of Prince Gandolf himself. I'm worried about the aftermath of the battle."

When Azel gestured for her to continue, she answered uneasily that Prince Jamke had freed her and agreed that his brother had committed inexcusable crimes, but there was no guarantee he wouldn't change his mind as the march further into Verdane continued. It was possible the royal family would get uneasy with the army taking nearly all of their castles. There was the possibility that they would retaliate, arguing that since the army had killed two of their three princes, that it was a violation of their non-aggression treaty, even if Verdane had violated it first.

"And since we've taken in Princess Ayra and Prince Shanan, they could make the argument that they were just giving them asylum, and that we'd taken them as political hostages, even if that wasn't the case." Azel groaned. "And if Isaach gets wind of that, it could make the war worse."

Azel wondered if this was what his brother had meant when he'd told him not to go with Sigurd after Gandolf's army. He still didn't regret it, but he understood Arvis's argument better.

"And there's no guarantee we'll be able to reason with Prince Jamke if it comes down to fighting him." Adean's face grew dark. "King Batou is a kind man who loves peace, but I don't think he'd able to forgive us if we killed all of his sons."  
"The Verdane Royal line would die out, too." Azel nodded. "I can't forgive Gandolf for what he did to you, but hopefully Prince Jamke is more reasonable."  
"And I can't forgive him for what he did to you and Midayle." Adean added. "He attacked Midayle and left him for dead. I also saw the bandits you were fighting as Prince Jamke was leading me out of Marpha. I know they were his men."

It was obvious that Adean was still worried, but she seemed to have gained up her resolve. She smiled warmly at him, and Azel felt his heart skip a beat. She really was a wonderful woman, and it made Azel hate Gandolf all the more for hurting her. But he'd done it for the first and last time. Tomorrow, he would confront Gandolf and make sure he didn't hurt Adean (or anyone else) ever again.  
\--------------------------------------  
"And you're _sure_ you can convince him?" Sigurd asked, uncertainty written on his face.  
"Prince Jamke was the one who released me from the dungeon." Adean nodded. "He knows that you're a good man. I'm sure he can convince King Batou."  
"If you're sure..." Sigurd still seemed hesitant, but agreed to the plan. He, Azel, and Cuan would be standing nearby if things went south.

Adean smiled wryly before suggesting that if things went well, Jamke might be able to properly introduce Sigurd to the beautiful, white-haired maiden he'd met near Marpha. Sigurd scowled at her, but his face was red. She giggled and stepped further into the forest. If Jamke's army was moving at the same pace as Sigurd's army had been, they were likely lying in wait for them in a clearing. When Adean found one, she stepped in before Sigurd or the others could stop her.

An arrow flew by her head. Just a few more inches, and it would have hit her throat. She heard gasps before and behind her, and she closed her eyes for a moment. When she re-opened them, Prince Jamke was standing before her.

"Why are you here!?" He demanded.  
"I could ask you the same, Prince Jamke." Adean answered calmly. "I thought you were going to persuade your father that Sigurd meant no harm, but here you are fighting. What's changed?"

Adean could tell that Jamke was frustrated even before he started ranting about his father's new advisor, Sandima. Ever since he'd shown up, King Batou and his two oldest sons did whatever he told them to do. It seemed Jamke had had enough, however.

"Let's try to persuade the king one more time." Adean suggested. "Sir Sigurd only came to rescue me. As long as King Batou agrees to a ceasefire, we will be more than happy to return to Grannvale without any more bloodshed. I promise!"

Jamke still seemed somewhat hesitant, but agreed on the condition that no harm came to his father, a condition that Sigurd was only too happy to agree to. As Jamke and Sigurd shook hands, Adean noticed that Azel was still watching nervously.

"It's okay, Azel." She smiled at him. "The arrow didn't hit me. I suspect he threw his aim off at the last second when he realized it was me."  
"I know, but it was still so close..." Azel sighed, sounding exhausted. "You were right, though. You got him to listen."  
"And with any luck, we'll soon be on our way back home."  
"I hope you're right." Azel let himself smile back at her, and Adean felt strangely at ease.  
\--------------------------------------  
As they marched through the Spirit Forest, they encountered the woman Sigurd had met in Marpha. The woman's name was Deirdre, and according to Jamke, she was prohibited from meeting with men. Still, she seemed just as taken with Sigurd as he had with her, and she wanted to help them. Deirdre explained that Sandima had a Fenrir Staff that would be deadly if they got too close. Luckily for them, Deirdre had a Silence Staff that would keep him from using it, allowing them to get close enough to attack.

Unfortunately, Jamke wasn't the only one in his family who'd had doubts about Sandima; King Batou had begun to question Sandima's judgements, and had been stabbed and left to die just before they'd begun their attack. Sigurd had called for Adean the moment he'd found him, but it was too late, and the king died as Adean was treating him. It hadn't been the first time she'd failed to save a patient, but it was the first time it had felt truly personal to her. Jamke didn't blame her or Sigurd, and chose to comfort himself with the knowledge that Sandima was dead, and that his father was with his mother now, but Adean still felt horrible.

It didn't help that officials from Grannvale soon arrived and ordered Sigurd to remain stationed at Evans. Sigurd had tried to protest, arguing that Verdane had just lost most of its royal family, and the last thing it needed was meddling from another nation. But the orders remained unchanged, and Sigurd took Deirdre as his wife at Evans, rather than Chalphy. Adean made a quick return to Jungby to let everyone there know that she was alright, then returned to Evans to stay with Sigurd's army. Azel did likewise. Arvis had been reluctant, but ultimately gave his blessing, saying that maybe it was time to let Azel make more of his own decisions.

Three months slowly passed, and relations between Grannvale and Agustria were beginning to grow tense. The Agustrian people had grown uneasy from Grannvale's occupation of Verdane, and the crown prince was infamous for his distaste of Grannvale. Thankfully, King Eldigan of Nordion, and King Imca himself were trying to keep things smoothed over, but everyone was still uneasy.

If there was one good thing about the occupation, it gave Azel more chances to talk to Adean. He often accompanied her to town to get supplies, and she insisted on going with him to train at the arena to make sure he didn't get too injured. In the afternoons, it wasn't uncommon for Ethlyn to invite him and Lex for tea with her and Adean, only for her and Lex to find excuses to leave them alone. Before long, Azel realized that he'd become more comfortable talking to her, and it felt like they'd become close. It was... rather nice, actually.

The relatively peaceful days couldn't last forever, however, and one day, Sigurd received word that King Imca had been assassinated. His son, Chagall, took the throne, and the tension between Agustria and Grannvale quickly grew worse. It soon became clear that war was on the horizon despite Sigurd and Eldigan's best efforts. Sure enough, Eldigan was imprisoned during an incident where he tried to reason with his new king, and the state near Nordion was preparing to stir up trouble.

"It's a shame, really." Adean said as she prepared her staves. "It's true that I had hoped to visit Agustria soon, but not under these circumstances."

Azel bit his lip. Adean had told him the story of what had happened to her sister, and he knew that she hoped to find her one day. If the situation with Agustria had stayed relatively stable, she likely would have eventually set out for Agustria, and then made her way to Orgahill, where Lady Briggid disappeared. Now that the fighting had started up, she knew she couldn't leave the army to search. Once again, she was stuck putting her search on hold because of politics. It made Azel angry on her behalf. Without thinking, he spoke up and said,

"Once this whole mess is sorted out, I'll go with you to Orgahill."

Adean turned to look at him, eyes slowly growing wide, and Azel continued.

"I mean, I know the Orgahill Pirates are said to be honorable, but you never know. You might need someone to look out for you." He stammered. "And even if your sister isn't there, then maybe she washed up in Silesse! We could take a boat."

Adean was staring at him with an odd look on her face. Azel wasn't sure what she was thinking, but when she took a deep breath, Azel realized that she was about to cry.

He quickly apologized for being too forward, but Adean shook her head.

"It's just..." She wiped a tear from her eyes. "That's the first time anyone other than Sigurd, Ethlyn, or Father really implied that Lady Sister could still be alive."  
"Huh?"  
"Nearly everyone at Jungby believes that my sister is dead. Even my brother thinks she's gone."

Adean slowly wiped more tears from her eyes and smiled at him warmly.

"I... might take you up on that offer, Azel." She said quietly, her face strangely flushed.

Azel felt his heart skip a beat and he quickly excused himself, but the warm feeling in his stomach remained for the rest of the day.  
\--------------------------------------  
"Are you going to tell him?" Adean gave Ethlyn a dry look, saying that this really wasn't the time or place.

Ethlyn merely shrugged and said that it hadn't really stopped Sigurd from marrying Deirdre. Adean quickly replied that she wasn't Sigurd and Deirdre wasn't Azel.

"Now who said anything about Azel?" Adean turned to glare at her, but Ethlyn was grinning. "I'm just saying!"  
"Honestly, Ethlyn." Adean groaned. "Why are you so worried about playing matchmaker?"  
"Like I told you before, I worry about you." Ethlyn's smile finally faded. "Nearly all of Jugdral is either being occupied or going to war with another. Neither Lord Brother or I have heard back from our father, and I suspect you haven't heard from yours, either."

Adean turned away, confirming Ethlyn's suspicions without saying anything. It was true that she hadn't heard from her father, and the last she'd heard from her brother, he'd said that he and their father had gotten separated and he didn't know where he was.

"And I know that you and Andorey don't really get along that well." Ethlyn continued. "But he's still your brother, and it would kill you if anything happened to him. But given the climate right now, if anything _were_ to happen to your father and brother..."  
"You want to make sure I have someone looking out for me." Adean sighed, turning back toward Ethlyn to embrace her. "I really am blessed to have such good friends."

Adean and Sigurd had often joked about their single lives, but Sigurd was married now, and under immense pressure by Belhalla. Ethlyn and Cuan had both readily joined with Sigurd to rescue her, but they would need to return to Leonster eventually, particularly since they never knew when Thracia would strike. Midayle and the people of Jungby adored her, but the difference between social classes acted as a barrier that kept them from truly talking to her as an equal. Azel may have been an illegitimate child, but he was recognized nobility, and therefore in a position to speak to her as someone on the same footing.

And if Adean was being honest, she really _did_ like him. She'd admired his kindness before, but over the past three months, she'd been able to see his other charms up close. He was rather shy, but he was also unwilling to compromise his convictions. He was willing to fight, but only to protect. He was patient, and listened to her thoughts on her sister, who few believed was still alive. He even offered to go with her to find her.

In hindsight, that was probably the moment where Adean really, truly found herself in love.

"I... will speak to Azel after we've dealt with Heirhein." She said quietly. "I still need to confirm how he feels about the possibility of there being an "us" in the future."

Ethlyn smirked at her as she pulled away, but Adean couldn't bring herself to even roll her eyes.

Thankfully, they had been able to rescue Princess Lachesis and King Eldigan's top Cross Knights without too much trouble. Now they were preparing to depart for Heirhein to ensure that its king would no longer make attacks against Nordion. There were rumors of bandits ravaging the villages near Anphony that Sigurd wanted to investigate, but they would still have a brief moment of pause before then.  
\--------------------------------------  
"Azel, would you like to walk with me?"

Azel nearly dropped the book he was holding in shock. He looked around, as though Adean had been possibly speaking to some other Azel before staring at her in confusion.

"You... want to walk with me? At this hour?"

Adean nodded, saying that the night was clear and cool, so it might be nice to get some fresh air. Finally, Azel agreed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lex grinning (no doubt a promise to tease him when they returned), but Azel couldn't bring himself to care, and the two set off.

Heirhein had fallen swiftly, but Azel knew that their job in Agustria wasn't over yet. It didn't seem like Mackily was going to stir up trouble, but Anphony seemed anxious to start a fight, and if they ended up having to take down King Macbeth, King Clement might take that as a sign that they needed to send troops. This was likely going to be one of their few calm moments for a while. The fact that he was with Adean made it all the better.

"We've been spending a lot of time together lately, haven't we?" Adean mused aloud as she turned to smile at him.  
"Y-yeah, we have." Azel replied, trying to sound casual.  
"Still, it doesn't really feel like we've gotten to know each other as well as we could." Adean looked away, giving a small laugh as she did.  
"I suppose not." Azel looked down at his feet.

He'd been enchanted with Adean for a long time now, and he'd been more or less content to admire her from afar. Now that he'd been around her regularly, talking to her, laughing with her, being supported by her in battle, admiring her from afar just didn't feel like enough. He thought of hugging her, wondering if her body was just as warm as her personality. He wondered how her hands would feel with her fingers intertwined with his. And during long nights when he couldn't sleep, he couldn't help but wonder how she looked under her Cleric robes.

And even more than that, keeping his feelings hidden from her felt oddly dishonest, like he didn't trust her to treat his feelings with proper respect, even if she didn't return them.

Azel was so caught up in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed that Adean had not only looked back at him, but moved closer.

"Azel?" Her voice finally brought him back to his senses. She seemed to be staring at him curiously, yet intently.  
"Sorry, I... I kind of zoned out for a moment." He laughed weakly. "What did you ask me?"  
"I asked if there was anyone you were interested in."

Azel froze. Just as he'd been musing on how he hated keeping his feelings a secret, she'd given him a chance. It was an opportunity to get his feelings out there in the open. If he could just get his mouth to work, he'd be golden. Adean herself, however, seemed to insist on making it difficult; She already looked radiant in the light of the not-quite-full moon, but she kept moving closer to him, giving the best view of her face he'd ever had.

"Is there no one you're interested in at the moment?" Her cheekbones were strong and beautiful.  
"N-No, there is!"  
"Then do you not want to talk about it?" Her lips looked so soft, Azel wasn't sure why she kept biting them.  
"I do! I really want to talk about her!"  
"It... sounds like she gets you very flustered." Her eyes usually held a clear, calm warmth, but at the moment, they kept looking away from his to glance at at something lower and seemed almost filled with frustration.  
"She really does. I keep thinking about kissing her, and I want to tell her the truth soon, but she keeps taking my breath away."  
"Who... Is she?" Her eyes weren't focused on his anymore, but they still seemed to be staring at something on his face.

This was it. It was time to tell her of all the things he'd kept hidden from her, of how blessed he felt just to have met her, and how grateful he was that she cared for him.

However, that was the moment Adean chose to silence him. Just as Azel was about to speak, he felt her lips press themselves against his. They were as soft as he'd thought they were. And, Azel noted as Adean pressed her body against his, she was just as warm as he thought she was. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly. Adean seemed appreciative, since she returned the favor eagerly.

He'd dreamed about this sort of thing for some time now, but all Azel could think right then was _Please don't let this be just a dream_.  
\--------------------------------------  
Adean heard cheers as she approached the castle with her hand in Azel's. Several of their comrades actually rushed outside to congratulate them. Azel seemed to brace himself for teasing, but Lex merely pat him on the shoulder before turning to Adean and asking her to take care of him.

They'd decided to hold a quick wedding before heading towards Anphony. It was small, attended only by the other members of the army. Adean asked Azel if he was alright with having it right away and not inviting his brother. Azel simply said that weddings were not Duke Arvis's thing. Besides, it wouldn't be fair for Azel to have his brother there when Adean's sister was still missing, and her brother and father were away at war. There would be time for a proper wedding when everything was settled.

When Adean prepared to enter the chapel, Sigurd was waiting for her at the door. He gave a small smirk as he extended his elbow for Adean to take his arm.

"I'm sorry about this." Adean said quietly as Sigurd prepared to open the door. "King Eldigan is still imprisoned, and here we are-"  
"King Chagall knows that he can't just have Elto executed." Sigurd answered. "Elto knows that, too. Besides, it's not as though we're going to go through the full motions of a wedding. That can wait until your actual father can walk you down the aisle."

He turned to look at her.

"Cheer up, will you? It's not good for a blushing bride to look so worried when she gets married."

Her worries weren't completely assuaged, and she knew that Sigurd was downplaying his own fears for her sake, but Adean allowed herself to smile as the doors opened. She met Azel's gaze with love in her eyes, and hope for the future in her heart.

After they'd finished saying their vows, the army set out toward Anphony. That night, Azel kissed Adean sweetly as they removed the clothes keeping their bodies apart. They fumbled through their first night together, but Adean knew in her heart that there would be more nights to come. She gave her sleeping groom a kiss before drifting off to sleep herself.  
\--------------------------------------  
The feel of Adean's skin pressed against his told Azel that the night they spent together hadn't been a dream. Nor had the previous night been a dream, nor the night before that. Sometimes they'd even managed to find times to be intimate during the day.

They had taken down King Macbeth with the help of a mysterious traveler named Lewyn, and a dancer named Sylvia. Furthermore, Sigurd had recruited a strange mercenary by the name of Beowolf, who had been working for Macbeth until Sigurd gave him a better offer. After that, they'd returned to Nordion, and just in time; As expected, King Clement of Mackily had sent troops toward Nordion, and the soldiers who had stayed to keep watch were in need of aid. Thankfully, Adean's Warp Staff and Ethlyn's Return Staff allowed them to send some of the stronger fighters back to Nordion in a flash.

As they prepared to confront Clement directly, Azel noticed a Pegasus Knight speaking to Sigurd, and briefly wondered what she was doing in Agustria, before deciding it didn't matter. They'd need all the help they could get, and if the woman was wiling to assist, who was he to argue?

After taking down Clement, they confronted Chagall, but at the last moment, he was saved by King Eldigan, who argued that, tyrant or not, he was still Agustria's king and Eldigan was obligated to support him.

Almost immediately after, more officials from Grannvale arrived and ordered Sigurd to move his base from Evans to Agusty. Despite Sigurd's arguments, they still refused to budge, and Sigurd reluctantly agreed. Azel was uneasy about the arrangement, but if it let them get closer to Orgahill, it would hopefully be worth it.

Three more months passed. Deirdre had gotten pregnant shortly after marrying Sigurd, and she was due within the next few months, so Sigurd was fussing over her constantly. Oddly, Adean seemed interested in Deirdre's pregnancy, too. She wasn't nagging Deirdre to rest constantly like Sigurd was, but Azel had caught her starting at Deirdre's growing belly more than once. Azel had an idea of why, but he wasn't sure how to broach the subject. After all, Deirdre had gotten pregnant before the situation in Agustria turned violent, so it couldn't be helped. Having a child before Agustria was safely stabilized seemed like a bad idea, and Azel wasn't sure if he was ready for a child, for a number of reasons.

One of those reasons was the fact that Azel's brother hadn't responded to any of his letters since Azel informed him of his marriage to Adean. As tense as their relationship was, Azel didn't think Arvis would simply ignore his letters without reply, and especially not because of something like getting married. Azel wondered if his letters were being intercepted. Or perhaps Arvis's were being intercepted. He couldn't really say.

One afternoon, Adean greeted him with a smile and a kiss before asking him to sit down.

"You know how I was going to see a healer today?" She asked, and Azel realized she was building up to something.  
"Right. You haven't been well lately, so you hoped a healer might tell you what was wrong."  
"As it turns out, I'm not sick." Adean's smile widened, and Azel braced himself for what she was about to say. "I'm pregnant!"  
\--------------------------------------  
Adean froze as tears began to fall from her husband's eyes. She'd been prepared for Azel to be apprehensive about having a child, but for him to cry? Adean suspected that he wasn't telling her something.

"I'm sorry." He said, before Adean could speak. "This is supposed to be one the happiest moments of our lives, and here I am dragging the mood down by crying."

He laughed weakly, and Adean gently knelt down to take his hand. She looked up at him with concern in her eyes.

"Are you worried because you're an illegitimate child?" She asked, and Azel gave just the slightest wince that told her she was right.  
"You know... You know what my father did to my mother, right?" Azel laughed again, but there was edge of bitterness to his voice. "Everyone at Velthomer basically put up with it, but they gossiped about it behind the scenes."

Adean nodded. Though her father tried to keep such things hidden from her, she'd overheard some servants gossiping the last time she'd visited Velthomer with him.

"Mother was Lady Cigyun's favorite maid. I think that's why my brother chose to acknowledge me out of all the other bastards my father sired." Azel continued. "But that doesn't change what I am. People still look at me like I'm dirty, and an acknowledged bastard is still a bastard. Any children I have need to be recognized by my brother, and I haven't heard from him in months."  
"Could the letters have been intercepted?" Adean frowned. Duke Arvis was known for being rather hard to get along with, but he never struck her as the type to ignore his own brother.  
"I can't say." Azel shrugged, looking down at his feet. "But I know he didn't approve of me running off to Verdane. I can't honestly say he wouldn't cut off contact because of that."

His words made her sad. Adean and Andorey didn't have the best relationship, but Adean knew that he cared for her in his own way. To hear her husband express doubt in his own brother broke her heart. She wanted to assure him that there was a reason for Arvis's silence, but she knew that she had no way of proving it.

"And the worst part is..." Azel's voice brought Adean back to reality. "The worst part is, even knowing what Velthomer might say about you and our child, and knowing that they might condemn our child as a bastard..."

He tilted his head to look at her; tears were still streaming down his face, but his face was flushed and his mouth was cracking into a half-smile.

"I'm still _happy_." He whispered. "I can do what my father never did for me or my mother. I can fight for you. I can defend you from any vile accusations people throw at you. I can keep our child from knowing what it's like growing up without a father. I have a chance to actually make you happy."  
"Silly." Adean sighed softly, leaning up to give Azel a soft kiss.

"You're already doing it."  
\--------------------------------------  
Despite Sigurd's best efforts, the crisis in Agustria erupted into a battle three months later. After being forced to take Madino, Azel and Adean went to the nearby town for supplies. On the way, they were stopped by a villager who appeared angry with Adean.

"What the hell are ya doing!?" He demanded. "You promised that your pirates wouldn't mess with us!"  
"I'm... sorry?" Adean gave the man a confused look. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean, sir. I think you may have me confused with someone else."  
"Don't give me that!" The man sneered at her. "You're Briggid of the Orgahill Pirates! And your men keep coming down here to rob us!"

Azel flipped his head just in time to see the color drain from Adean's face. They had both hoped to take the chance to search for some leads on Briggid's whereabouts, but this wasn't what they'd had in mind.

"Oh ho!" The man scoffed. "Ya thought you could fool me, but now ya know I-"

The man was cut off by Adean grabbing his shoulders and demanding to know where the pirates' base was. If there was even the slightest chance that it was her, she reasoned, then she had to go find her, even if she'd become a pirate. The man was outraged by Adean's behavior, but quickly became apologetic (if skeptical) when Azel explained the circumstances. He also promised the man that they would do something about the pirate problem once they'd dealt with Chagall.

"Are you sure that was wise, Azel?" asked Adean as they made their way back south. "I understand that we'll likely need to rendezvous with Father Claud and Lady Tailto at some point, but there's no guarantee we'll end up meeting them at Orgahill. And there's no guarantee we'll be allowed to leave, either."  
"I'm sure Sigurd will give us permission. He knows how much this search means to you." Azel smiled slyly at her. "Besides, you were the one shaking the guy demanding to know where to go."  
"I admit, I let my emotions get the better of me." Adean coughed in embarrassment. "It's been so long since I had any leads, I jumped at the possibility of it being her."  
"With any luck, it will be."

Adean nodded, but fell silent and stared at the ground, as if in thought.

"Worried about what might happen if it _does_ turn out to be her?" Azel asked, sliding his hand into hers.  
"The Orgahill Pirates are famous for being honorable thieves that give to the poor. I admired that, even if I didn't necessarily agree with their methods." Adean admitted. "I wouldn't be surprised if my sister was leading _those_ kinds of pirates. But it sounds as though they've changed targets lately. And if Briggid really is leading them against the people, and we end up confronting her, it could end very badly."  
"Don't be discouraged." Azel said without thinking. "I'm sure we can reason with her if it comes to that. And for all we know, it could be a misunderstanding. "

Adean nodded, but Azel understood that she was still worried. There wasn't time for worrying now, however. The fight against King Chagall was still going on, and both of them were still needed.

King Eldigan remained determined to serve his king, to the point of even heading into battle against Sigurd, but finally relented in the face of Princess Lachesis's pleas. Unfortunately, his last-ditch effort to reason with Chagall got him killed, and the head was sent to Sigurd personally. That was the last straw for Sigurd, who led half the forces to Silvail, while the other half returned to Madino to keep an eye on the Orgahill Pirates. Azel didn't see Sigurd finish Chagall off, but everyone who was with him said that it was "cathartic".

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to stabilize Agustria, and worse yet, not only had Deirdre been abducted while they were gone, but the Orgahill Pirates had begun to make their move. When Azel went to inform Adean that they were heading out, he found her with a tome in hand, saying she was tired of being the only one who didn't fight. She reassured him that she wouldn't take any unnecessary risks, gesturing to her belly.

"I think the baby wants to fight, too." She said with conviction in her voice. "It's kicking up a storm."

That didn't really make Azel feel better, but he nodded and resolved to make sure no one got near her.

They received word that some of the pirates were pursuing a woman bearing a close resemblance to Adean toward Blaggi Tower. The woman was armed, so she wasn't in immediate danger, but if she was overwhelmed, she'd be in trouble. Thankfully, Ferry, Dew, Lewyn, and Holyn had already headed that way to make sure Father Claud and Tailto of Freege were safe, but it was clear that Adean was still uneasy. She shook it off and insisted that they focus on the trouble right in front of them when Azel asked, however.

A few days later, most of the pirates had been dealt with, and the army had been able to meet up with Father Claud's group without any major issues. They learned that the woman was, in fact, the leader of the Orgahill Pirates, and the daughter of the former leader. Evidently a mutiny had occurred. Adean wanted to speak to her right away, and Ferry, Father Claud, and Tailto vouched for her, but Sigurd insisted that he talk to her first. Adean tried to argue, but Sigurd put his foot down.

"I know that this is moment you've been waiting for for most of your life." Sigurd admitted. "But I need to make sure it's her."  
"Wouldn't I know my sister best?" Adean frowned. "Surely I would be the best one to determine if it's her?"  
"It sounds like you've already decided that it's her." Ethlyn spoke up in her brother's defense. "But for all we know, she might just bear a resemblance to her, and she might try to use that against us."

Adean opened her mouth to protest again, but Sigurd cut her off.

"We just don't want you to get hurt, Adean." He pleaded with her.  
"Physically _or_ emotionally." Ethlyn added sadly.

Adean closed her mouth and nodded slowly, sitting down on a rock as she did. Sigurd entered the tent where the pirate leader Briggid was waiting. Their talk was quiet, so none of them could hear what they were saying, and it made all of them anxious. Azel gripped Adean's hand, but it didn't do much to put their minds at ease. Thankfully, the talk only lasted a few minutes, and Sigurd soon stepped out of the tent. Everyone around waited with anticipation as Sigurd took a deep breath.

"After making sure she understood that no, I wasn't going to kill her, I asked her about her father, and she said that she didn't have any memories of her early childhood, but that she'd been raised by the previous captain as long as she could remember." He explained. "She'd only recently learned that he wasn't her birth father, and that she'd been adopted when he found her on a ship they'd ransacked. The old captain died recently and despite her attempts to ensure her men stuck to the creed they'd lived by, they mutinied against her and drove her out."

Azel released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Then she really was just a victim of her crew and not someone who had turned her back on her own moral code. He looked at Adean, who looked similarly relieved, but still worried.

"I asked if she had any unusual birthmarks on her body." Sigurd continued. "She said she did, but she wasn't going to show me."

Azel felt Adean squeeze his hand. He remembered her telling him that Briggid's Brand had surfaced on her chest when she was still very little. As an adult, the Brand would be...

"Right between her breasts." She said quietly. "Is that right?"  
"Well, she didn't _say_ that was where it was, but when I asked, she looked... pretty startled, actually." He chuckled softly before bringing a hand to his face to wipe a tear from his eye. "It's her."

Adean released her grip on Azel's hand and stood up, looking far more dignified than Azel would have been in her shoes. She retrieved the Yewfelle from their tent, and made her way toward Briggid's. Azel followed her, but knew that she would want to speak to Briggid alone, and maintained a safe distance.

"Good luck." Sigurd whispered to them as they walked past.  
\--------------------------------------  
This was it.

After all these years of searching, hoping, dreaming... She had finally found her.

Briggid's face was staring at her in confusion and unease, but Adean knew that she would understand once she held the bow she'd held onto for her. To be fair, it was a highly unusual situation: Briggid had just been chased out of her home by her own men, rescued by the man occupying Agustria, and now she was being approached by a strange pregnant woman with her face, claiming to be her sister.

Briggid's eyes seemed to shine as she held the Yewfelle in her hand, and when it stopped, she slowly turned her head to look at Adean, whispering her name as she did.

Adean could no longer hold back, and threw her arms around her sister, weeping. Briggid was forced to move the Yewfelle so that it didn't hit Adean's belly, but she did not push Adean away, instead slowly wrapping her arms around her as well.

"I'm so glad..." Adean sobbed. "I'm so glad that I found you again!"  
"I can't believe you kept looking after all these years." Briggid sounded incredulous, but her voice was shaking. "Most people would have given up by now."  
"And a lot of people did try to convince me to give up." Adean allowed herself to laugh. "Father and I were really the only ones left in Jungby who truly believed you were alive."  
"How is Father, anyway? Oh, and Andorey!" Briggid seemed to be relaxing now. "Is he still a crybaby?"

Adean laughed again, explaining that Andorey had grown up quite a bit, but he was with their father in Isaach. With any luck, they'd be able to return home soon.

"I see." Briggid nodding, sounding slightly disappointed. "Then, how about the redhead watching us from outside the tent? He wouldn't happen to be responsible for this, would he?"

Briggid gave Adean's belly a small poke.

"He is." Adean smiled warmly, gesturing to her wedding ring. "His name is Azel, and I can't wait to introduce you."  
"So if Father and Andorey are off at war, does this mean Sigurd walked you down the aisle?"  
"He did, indeed! I'm glad you remember him."

And just like that, the grains of sand in the hourglass, which seemed frozen, began to drop once more.  
\--------------------------------------  
Azel's new sister-in-law was quite the spitfire.

She wasn't the hothead Ayra was, but she talked like a man and didn't take anything from anyone. Azel wasn't sure how Holyn managed to keep up with her, but it might be a thing like Lex had with Ayra. If that was the sort of girl Holyn was into, who was Azel to judge?

That's not to say Azel didn't admire Briggid; Far from it. When Azel embarrassingly spoke of how he'd seen Dew and Lachesis in a compromising position when he was looking for a broom to sweep the entrance to Sailane, Briggid nonchalantly mentioned that she'd seen Jamke and Sylvia in a different position just the other day. Azel had to admit, that sort of bluntness was kind of refreshing, given that he was used to having to walk on eggshells at home.

The day Adean went into labor was the most terrifying day of his life.

He'd been walking down the hall with Lex and Tailto when he'd heard Adean and Briggid both calling for him from their room. When they hurried to the room, they found Briggid helping Adean to the bed. Azel cursed himself as Briggid told him to stay with Adean while she went to go find the others and tell them what was happening. Tailto went to fetch a midwife while Lex went to gather supplies. It figured that once he'd learned to stop freaking out every time the baby kicked, Adean would end up going into labor.

"I guess it's time, huh." He laughed weakly as he took Adean's hand in hers. "And here I thought he was just kicking too much!"  
"It just goes to show that it's really impossible to truly know when you'll actually give birth!" Adean gave a small giggle. "In the end, it's the baby that decides."

She giggled again, but Azel felt her hands shaking. He gave her hand a squeeze, and she squeezed back a bit too hard, but Azel decided to ignore that. They were about to welcome their first child into the world. What were a few broken fingers in comparison to that?

Tailto had gone off in search of a midwife as she left, but it was ultimately Ethlyn who showed up and took charge of the delivery. Azel seemed apprehensive, since they'd just learned that Ethlyn was pregnant herself a month earlier, but she seemed completely calm and in control, not allowing herself to collapse until their son was safely out. Even as her husband led her out of the room, Ethlyn was grinning.

"He looks so peaceful." Azel whispered as the baby curled into the blanket Briggid had brought up.  
"You never would have guessed that he liked kicking so much." Adean said wryly, and Azel had to laugh.

When he stopped, he gazed at his son for a few moments before asking who Adean thought he would end up looking like.

"I can't really say for sure." Adean shook her head. "They say that daughters take after fathers, and sons take after mothers, but Briggid and I don't really look like our father, and Andorey doesn't look that much like his mother. For all we know, he might take after one of our parents."  
"I really hope not." Azel sighed. "Didn't you say your mother was from Dozel? I'll never hear the end of it from Lex if our son comes out looking like him. And if we ever make it back to Grannvale..."

As Adean's due date approached, Azel's mind kept coming up with unpleasant scenarios that could possibly play out when and if they eventually returned home. The most obvious involved Arvis refusing to acknowledge Azel's marriage and child, but there was also the possibility that Arvis would simply kick him out and refuse to let them return. From there, they would likely be forced to live in Jungby, and while Azel would be personally fine with that, he knew that he'd be mocked for not being able to take care of his wife (and to even rely on her family! The scandal!) for the rest of his life. And even if his brother did recognize his family, if their child didn't resemble either of them, there would doubtlessly be rumors that the child was not his. Azel knew that neither he nor Adean would ever be unfaithful, but the thought of her being slandered as an adulteress made his blood boil.

And yet, at the moment, those fears felt far away.

"It doesn't really matter what the people around us say, does it?" Adean seemed to be reading his mind. "Right now, the only thing that matters is that he's here, and both of his parents love him."  
"Yeah." Azel nodded, slowly, tears beginning to form in his eyes. "His grandfather abandoned both of his sons, but his father won't ever leave him while he still needs him."  
\--------------------------------------  
They had discussed whether or not to ask Lex and Ayra to be Lester's godparents, or to wait until Holyn proposed to Briggid.

Their final decision ended up being "Mention asking Briggid to be Lester's godmother while lamenting that he won't have a godfather around Holyn numerous times until he takes the hint". For a man who spent several years in a dangerous occupation, Holyn was surprisingly shy in matters of the heart. Indeed, it actually ended up being Briggid who proposed, rather than him.

"The wedding was lovely, wasn't it?" Adean asked Azel as they departed the chapel.  
"Yes." Azel nodded. "It's a little hard to believe most of us are married now. Even Dew!"  
"It feels like it's been one wedding after another. And it won't be long before more children show up."  
"Well, Sigurd has Seliph, Cuan and Ethlyn have their daughter and are expecting another child, you and I have Lester." Azel began listing all the children born in the army recently. "As for the pregnant women, there's Lachesis, Sylvia, Ferry..."  
"And I know that my sister also wants to have children, but it's going to be a little while before that happens." Adean added. "Tailto is also trying to have a child with Lewyn. What about Lex and Ayra?"  
"Lex seems a bit nervous about it."  
"Oh?" Adean gave Azel a curious look.

As they walked near a grove of trees, Azel explained that Lex's relationship with his family was even more strained than Azel's was. Lex, according to Azel, wasn't sure if he'd be able to return home regardless of how the current situation turned out. Tailto was married to Silesse's crown prince, so Freege would be stupid to try going after her. Dozel was different, however; Duke Langobalt was a vengeful man who was unlikely to take his son siding with Sigurd well. Even if Lex followed Ayra to Isaach, there was no guarantee his father wouldn't send people after him. And if Ayra ended up getting caught in the crossfire, it could make Grannvale-Isaach relations even worse. After all, Ayra might not have been capable of wielding the Balmung, but she was still a princess of Isaach.

"And getting children, small children at that, involved would make the situation even trickier." Adean replied sadly. It was a shame. Lex was something of a joker, but Adean knew he was a kind person. She didn't speak to Ayra much, but she had seen how she treated her young nephew. She was stern, but caring. The two of them would make lovely parents, and it seemed unfair that they were hesitating because of politics and war.  
"Well, Lex doesn't really have a choice." Azel sighed. "Ayra's already pregnant."  
"Eh?"  
"Or at least she's pretty sure she's pregnant."

Upon noticing Adean's confusion, Azel explained that Ayra had pulled him aside and told him of her suspicions, but she wasn't sure how to break the news to Lex, and that she hoped he could give her advice on how to do so. Azel told her that Lex was probably not going to be thrilled, but he'd be even less thrilled about her keeping it a secret. Ayra didn't seem to like that idea very much, but she didn't seem that surprised and thanked Azel for his suggestion.

"So I'm the only woman left in this army who isn't going to be having a baby in the near future." Adean sighed dramatically. "I feel a little left out."  
"But we just had Lester a short while ago." Azel gave her a puzzled look. "Unless you..."

That was the moment Adean pounced.

She threw her arms around Azel and crashed her lips against his. The snow broke their fall as Azel began to kiss her back, and Adean felt his hands find their way to his hips. When they finally broke away to breathe, she gave him an excited look and said "Let's have another baby".

She'd expected him to blush and get flustered, but once again, he took her by surprise. He gave her a confused look and asked if something was bothering her. Adean hesitated, and she could see Azel thinking of things that could be dwelling on her mind. When his eyes widened, she knew that he'd come to the correct answer.

"Are you worried about what we just talked about?" He asked quietly. "With the war?"  
"I can't hide anything from you, can I?" sighed Adean. "If I'm being honest, I think... I suspect that my father is dead."  
"What!?"  
"I asked Father Claud about the vision he saw at Blaggi Tower. He'd mentioned that he saw Duke Reptor and Duke Langobalt, but I got the impression that he was hiding something from me. When I pressed him further, he admitted seeing a young man who bore a striking resemblance to my brother Andorey working with them."  
"But what about your father?"  
"Queen Rahna mentioned that she'd heard from some spies she sent to Grannvale that my brother returned to Jungby, but there was no sign of my father."  
"And you think-"  
"I pray that it wasn't him directly, but it wouldn't change the fact that Andorey likely had a hand in our father's death."

Azel looked disturbed at the possibility of a son killing his own father, but nodded in understanding, and Adean could tell he was putting the pieces together before he finally said, "You're worried about Lester".

It wasn't a question, but a statement of what he knew to be a fact.

"I feel a little guilty." Adean gave a small, weak laugh. "I've spent all this time trying to reassure you that it didn't matter all that much if your brother refused to accept us getting married, but now it doesn't look like my own brother would accept us at all. In fact, going anywhere near Jungby might be hazardous. If we're not careful, we might end up leaving him an orphan, or perhaps he could end up dying with us."

The very thought brought tears to Adean's eyes, and she pressed her face against Azel's shirt. She'd always like his scent. It reminded her of the days of early autumn, when the weather was just starting to get cooler, but still warm enough that you could go outside without a cloak. She felt Azel begin to stroke her hair and let herself take a deep breath before speaking once more.

"If nothing else, I want to make sure that Lester isn't alone if something happens to us."  
"I understand." Azel answered back.

They fell silent for a few minutes as Adean calmed down. Finally, Azel coughed awkwardly and asked if Adean wanted another boy, or if she hoped for a girl. Adean laughed loudly and kissed him again.

"Come to think of it, we haven't really done anything like this since Lester was born." Azel mused as Adean began kissing his neck. "Wait, where _is_ Lester, anyway?"  
"I had Oifey take him back to Sailane Castle." Adean allowed herself to grin as her hands wandered.  
"You planned this!?" Azel groaned in spite of his own hands doing some wandering. "Are you serious about doing this right here? It's going to be dark soon, and you know how cold it gets at night."  
"Then we'll just have to hurry, won't we, dear?"

Both of them developed head colds, but Adean didn't regret anything, and even Azel was forced to admit that it was worth it.  
\--------------------------------------  
Adean's attempt to have another child was successful in both seduction and conception, but Azel could tell that she was regretting it now.

As they prepared to leave Zaxon, they had found Sigurd's wounded and dying father, Vylon. Adean and Lachesis both tried their best, but Vylon died after handing over the Tyrfing, and only barely got to see his grandson. No sooner had they buried him than they found themselves under siege by arrows that Adean knew were from the Beige Ritter. Soon, she and Briggid found themselves confronted by their brother, Andorey, who confirmed Adean's suspicions that he'd killed their father. He seemed stunned by Briggid's appearance, but remained steadfast in his attack despite Adean's attempt to reason with him. Indeed, it was clear that the only reason he hesitated long enough for Briggid to kill him was the fact that both sisters were obviously pregnant.

That in turn spawned an argument between the two. Adean was furious that Briggid had killed their brother, and stubbornly insisted that she'd almost gotten through to him. Not only that, but how could she put herself and her unborn child in danger? Briggid, of course, pointed out that not only had Adean also placed herself and her unborn child in danger, but that she, at least, wouldn't be leaving behind a husband that would have to raise a son that wouldn't know his mother if she'd been killed.

Azel had glanced over at Holyn as she said that, and it was clear that he wouldn't have seen it that way. Both men held their tongues as the sisters argued, however. Azel remembered Holyn mentioning that men and women had no place getting in between the others' fights.

That didn't mean that both couples didn't argue later that night, however. Azel argued that they had no way of knowing if Andorey would really stand down and that if he didn't, he was likely to aim for the sister that wasn't pointing her weapon at him first. Briggid was likely trying to protect her. From Holyn and Briggid's tent, he heard him argue that Adean was likely upset because she didn't want her to have her own brother's blood on her hands, even if taking down Andorey was necessary.

Azel and Adean both fell asleep facing different sides of the tent that night, and Azel suspected that so did his sister-in-law and her husband.

Both couples reconciled the following morning, but the sisters refused to speak until they confronted Duke Langobalt at Lubeck. Lex attempted to take on the burden of killing his father himself, but found himself horribly outmatched. Had Adean not been nearby, he likely would have been killed. Ultimately, it was Sigurd who took down Langobalt, wielding the sword that his father had died delivering to him.

Finally, Adean and Briggid were forced to see the others' perspective. Adean, who had seen Lex near death because of his own father, acknowledged that her sister had wanted to protect her. Briggid, who had seen both Lex's hesitance as he confronted his father and his relief at his failure to kill him, acknowledged that her sister was worried about how she would handle killing her own flesh and blood. The sisters embraced, and their husbands both breathed a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, everyone knew that their troubles were just beginning. It was unlikely that Grannvale would let up on the assault, and it was becoming increasingly dangerous for them to have any sort of non-combatant with the army, let alone infants. Reluctantly, Sigurd ordered Oifey to take Seliph and escort Shanan back to Isaach, where the people would hopefully trust their crown prince's words that they meant no harm. Sigurd also asked Ayra to go with them, but Azel knew that she would only send her children. As far as she was concerned, she had nothing left to teach Shanan, and that he could take care of himself. Lex knew that as well, but it was obvious he wasn't happy about it. Lachesis and Dew were also sending their son to Isaach with Oifey and the others, and Lachesis had simply laughed when Sigurd asked her to go with them. Tailto and Lewyn had left their son in Silesse with Queen Rahna, along with Father Claud and Ferry's son, and Sylvia and Jamke's daughter.

The biggest problem was Adean and Briggid. Sending Lester to Isaach was an obvious decision, but Azel knew that Sigurd wouldn't allow Adean to remain with them while she was still pregnant. The only reason Briggid had been allowed to stay was that they still needed the Yewfelle, and Grannvale could not execute a holder of major Holy Blood without ensuring that they had produced a child to carry on the Holy Crusader's lineage. Not only was she the only direct heir to the Crusader Ulir remaining, but the discovery that Duke Ring's lost daughter was alive could cause a stir that could be useful in negotiating. Adean, however, was fair game as a holder of minor Holy Blood. There was no question that she had to go Isaach with the children.

Unfortunately, Azel could not go with her. They knew that they would likely have to confront Duke Reptor of Freege, but they would need to go through Velthomer before that. Azel knew that since his brother had married Prince Kurth's long-lost daughter, he was likely in Belhalla while his second in command, General Aida, remained at Velthomer. He knew that she was a reasonable woman, and might be willing to listen to him if he went to her and explained that he wasn't a hostage and that Sigurd had no hand in the prince's death. However, that meant that he had to remain with the army while Adean went to Isaach.

They both agreed to the plan without a fuss, but when the time came to send them off, they both hesitated.

"If things get ugly, we might not see each other again before I give birth." Adean said quietly. She was obviously refusing to consider the possibility that if things "got ugly", there was a good chance they might see each other again at all.  
"It'll be okay." Azel tried to reassure her as he tried to rock Lester to sleep. "Lana will be a patient girl."  
"Lana?" Adean raised her eyebrow curiously. "I know we agreed that you would pick the name if the baby turned out to be a girl, but you seem to be counting your chickens before they've hatched, don't you think?"  
"She'll be a girl." Azel insisted. "I can't really explain, I just sort of feel it. She'll be a beautiful baby girl, and she'll grow up to be as kind and strong as her mother. She and her big brother are going to be close, and they'll know the love of both of their parents. I promise."

Adean had been holding herself together, but Azel's words of comfort only served to make her cry. In turn, Azel began to cry and for a few minutes, they stood by the wagon whispering "I love you"s while trying to keep their son from waking up. It wasn't until Sigurd and Tailto walked up and placed their hands on their shoulders that Azel was able to hand Lester to Adean after Sigurd helped her into the wagon.

He tried to pretend that he didn't hear his son's whimper as he did.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, this ended up being a lot longer than I thought it would! Then again, this is a one-shot, unlike the Dew/Lachesis story, which was a two-shot. The ending also ended up being a lot more depressing than that one, too. I ended up getting really attached to these two playing FE4. Eugenically, it's not that great for Adean's kids (or at least not Lester), but I don't really care.
> 
> Fun fact: The last time I played FE4, I talked to Briggid with Adean, THEN Sigurd, where she just accepted her death right after reuniting with her sister.
> 
> The reason Tailto was the one who ultimately convinced Azel to let Adean leave (rather than Lex) was the fact that I realized that she hadn't really played a big role in the story despite being Azel's childhood friend. Plus, Lex is saying goodbye to his children, too. Hopefully, when I inevitably write Lewyn/Tailto and Lex/Ayra stories, they'll play a bigger part. Incidentally, the reason Sigurd and Ethlyn play big roles in the story is because I wanted to put emphasis on their friendship with Adean.


End file.
